TTD Ch 20

The glass vase flew off and shattered against the wall. Kim Seon-young screamed with blood vessels protruding from her neck. Stupid bastard. She asked if he couldn’t handle one of them right away, then grabbed and kicked the young man in front of her. The man was one of those in charge of the messy work at Kim Seon-young’s parents’ house.

Kim Seon-young’s father was an influential investor and the richest man in Seoul. After Kim Seon-young married, he attempted to establish a savings bank, but he had difficulty obtaining approval from the Financial Supervisory Commission. Chairman Kang rolled up his sleeves and helped at the time. As a result, Kim Seon-young’s parents paid close attention to Chairman Kang, who was still his son-in-law.

“How could you have missed that? You said that you are the right man. You said that you are confident in your skills.”

The man spoke with a troubled face.

“Well, the other person noticed it first and avoided it. I think he saw it when I pulled the trigger.”

“You bastard asshole. You should’ve said it!”

Slap, her hand slapped the man on the cheek. Again, again, and again, she slapped enough to turn the man’s head around and throw him to the floor. Kang Tae-han shook his head, holding a teacup behind her as she huffed and puffed. Even if she has a bad temper, she keeps it hidden from his father.

Her plan, which she had been boasting about, went horribly wrong all at once. It wasn’t surprising because Tae-han had expected it to some extent. There have been several similar incidents in the past, but Kang Il-hyun has miraculously survived each time.

Kim Seon-young approached the table and sat, huffing and puffing as if her rage had not yet been released. He only found out later that she had broken her fingernail from slapping the man on the cheek, and after becoming enraged again, she pulled a cigarette from her bag and lit it.

“Things that are not good enough can’t handle things properly.”

Kang Tae-han said to calm her down and moved the teacup in front of her.

“I told you so. I wish you’d listened to me.”

Her eyes became sharp. She became enraged when she saw Kang Tae-han about to step out immediately. He used to be a selfish player, whether in the past or now. There was nothing a boy with such a thin wall could do. That was why he was in danger of losing his position to his younger half-brother, who was eight years younger.

“Don’t worry. This is not the only chance.”

“I’ve been through that today, so I’m hoping Director Kang won’t stay still.  They are said to be searching all of the surrounding mountains with a drone, beginning with CCTV that enters the area.”

She threw a cigarette in the ashtray. They must first find and eliminate him. They only need to find the person and destroy the evidence before he got caught and tortured. Nonetheless, someone has already been dispatched. But if Kang Il-hyun couldn’t find him…

Kang Tae-han’s eyes flashed cunningly as he looked at Kim Seon-young, who was impatient. He leaned his upper body forward.

“I have a better idea…”

“What.”

“How about using Seok-joo?”

Her brows were crooked.

“I heard he was close friends with Yi An because they were the same age. Isn’t it easier to approach him?”

Kim Seon-young remained silent. It was done to protect her son Seok-joo, but she didn’t want him dragged into this board. Even if things go wrong, she must complete the task on her own terms because she does not want her children to suffer.

“You don’t have to drag him in.”

“Then why did you drag me in? Aren’t I the son that comes from my mother’s womb?”

“Isn’t that obvious? I never thought that you, Director Kang, and Seok-joo were the same. It’s also the same for you.”

“As expected, my mother.”

Tae-han smiled with a fed-up face. If you look closely, she was not even his real mother, but she has many similarities to Kang Il-hyun. Soon she started calling somewhere. Seeing that, they have to catch them first and destroy them no matter what happens, they have to destroy the evidence.

***

Ja-kyung looked up at the ceiling after washing and drying his hair. Kang Il-hyun removed the CCTV in the bedroom as promised. He double-checked it with a tracker just in case, but no other traces were discovered. It felt like ten-year-old congestion had disappeared at the thought of being able to sleep comfortably.

He checked the suit on the bed after drying his hair. He needed to dress appropriately for a meal at Kang Il-hyun’s father’s house today. The fabric on his body feels good when he wears the shirt. He fastened all the buttons and tied the tie, but he wasn’t used to it after such a long time.

He gave up after a few attempts and tied a rough shape. He then wear his watch and glasses and proceeded downstairs. In the middle of the living room, Il-hyun was talking to someone with his back turned.

The bullet-smashed glass window quickly returned to its original state, and the inside of the house was as quiet as if nothing had happened. However, guards with dogs were watching inside and outside the window, several drones were spotted, and the number of guards was doubled.

After finishing the call, Il-hyun looked back and paused.

“You look good.”

Il-hyun, who was staring at him, took a step forward. And before Ja-kyung could stop him, he reached out and immediately untied Ja-kyung’s tie. He looked at him, embarrassed, and made Ja-kyung a new tie. His long fingers knotted skilfully just below the neck. It was close enough to his chest that Ja-kyung could smell the scent of his skin.

“Are you okay?”

“What…?”

“You must have been very surprised, but you can rest at home today. It’s a promise, but you can put it off until later.”

“No… Chairman Kang personally invited me… I don’t think that’s polite.”

Il-hyun smiled happily after tying a tie and pinning a pin. His gaze moved slowly from the bottom to the top. When their gazes met, Ja-kyung smiled awkwardly.

“It looks a lot nicer.”

“Thank you.”

Il-hyun held out his hand.

“Then shall we go? Prince.”

Ja-kyung shook his head with a troubled expression on his face. He appeared to have grown accustomed to this person’s joke. Instead of his hand, Il-hyun laughed and patted Ja-kyung on the back. Let’s go. It was time for the rush hour in Seoul, so it was best to hurry. Ja-kyung was worried about the hand on his back, but he didn’t bother to remove it.

The road, as he stated, was not blocked, but it was stagnant. Ja-kyung cast a glance out the window. The lights reflected off the Han River, mixed with the waves, and floated like jewels in the water. He grew up in Seoul but didn’t come here until he was ten years old.

Kang Il-hyun was also silent as he looked out the window. Cars kept moving and stopping, and when he got out of the congested area, he was able to breathe. When they arrived at the house, the staff greeted them. Ja-kyung exited the vehicle and followed Il-hyun through the gate and went inside.

Chairman Kang’s house was smaller than he expected. Except for the well-kept garden and pond on one side, Kang Il-hyun’s house was more suitable for the chairman’s house. An elderly man greets them politely as they enter the front door.

Il-hyun introduced him as the house butler. His hair was white, and he was old, but his eyes shone like those of a young man. Ja-kyung followed his guide and took his own look around the house. First, he was drawn to a large hanging family photo. Everyone was smiling, and it looked like a normal family.

There was a long table when they arrived at the location to which they had been directed. The table was decorated with candlesticks and flowers, and the staff was busy carrying food. Ja-kyun thought they were on time, but some family members arrived first.

“Director Kang and Zhang Yi An-gun have arrived.”

The eyes of the people who were talking were focused on them at the same time, and Kang Yoo-jung was the first to get up and approached them. Just like yesterday, she opened her arms to embrace Ja-kyung and patted him on the back.

“Welcome, it’s nice to see you after a day.”

Unlike yesterday, she was dressed nicely, but she still smelled nice. Even though he was not an eighteen years old boy anymore, his heart was racing for no reason. Ja-kyung was embarrassed to say the least, and his gaze briefly met Il-hyun’s. He didn’t know why he was smiling.

He felt like he had been caught, so he quickly hid his expression.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Kang Tae-han. Il-hyun’s older brother.”

The skinny man with glasses introduced himself as Kang Tae-han. His eyes were as vicious as snakes.

“Hello. I’m Zhang Yi An. Nice to meet you.”

“You look just like your mother. What a waste. If you were a woman, you would have been quite a beauty.”

He laughed and joked. A woman standing next to him patted him and gave him a glance. She seemed to be Kang Tae-han’s wife.

“I apologize instead. He sometimes jokes too much.”

At first glance, she was a much better woman than her husband.

“No, I’ll take it as a compliment.”

Just then, a voice came from the stairs.

“The chairman and the madam are coming.”

Everyone turned to face him, and the entire staff came out, bowing and lining up to the sides. They weren’t expecting a king or queen to appear, but they were doing everything they could. The handsome man coming down the stairs was Kang Il-hyun’s father.

Despite his age, he maintained the same momentum and had the eyes of a tiger. The woman holding his arm from the side was probably Kang Seok-joo’s mother. As expected, Kang Seok-joo appears behind him. He was riding a tiger, but his eyes were filled with fear. He was perverted every time they met, and in this house, he was just a weak herbivore.